Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is reportedly to arrive in the Netherlands amid charges related to his crackdown on drugs, the Philippine media Inquirer reported. Duterte will be taken to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) detention unit after landing, where he will be readied for an initial appearance before the court's judges, according to media. 

"They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions," the former president's youngest daughter Veronica Duterte wrote on Instagram. Duterte was placed on a flight late on Tuesday and the plane that brought Duterte to Dubai en route to the Netherlands took off after a stopover of several hours on Wednesday, AFP reported citing a flight tracking site.

Zhou Shixin, a research fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times that Duterte may soon face the evidence presentation process at the ICC. Since the Philippines is not a member state of the ICC, the evidence has to be provided by the Philippine authorities, which is likely to be unfavorable to Duterte.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday departed Manila to join her father, according to the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Veronica "Kitty" Duterte, the youngest child of Duterte, on Wednesday asked the Philippine Supreme Court to compel the government to bring her father back to the country after he was arrested by the ICC, according to the Inquirer.

Attorney Salvador Panelo, the former president's legal counsel, and his son Attorney Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. filed a writ of habeas corpus before the Supreme Court with Kitty Duterte as the petitioner. The younger Panelo said that the grounds for the petition are the lack of jurisdiction of the ICC over the country and the basis of the extradition treaty.

Malacañang Palace, the official residence and office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, on Wednesday thumbed down Vice President Sara Duterte's remark likening the arrest of her father to a "state kidnapping," Philippine media ABS-CBN reported.

At a press briefing on Tuesday night, Philippine President Marcos Jr. defended the Philippines' decision to send Duterte to the ICC, saying his arrest was done "in compliance with our commitments to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)." 

He said, "Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill. If we don't do that, they will not - they will no longer help us with other cases involving Filipino fugitives abroad," according to the Presidential Communications Office.

Some netizens in the Philippines have expressed clear indignation. On a social media platform, one netizen remarked, "The ICC has no right to apprehend a citizen of the Philippines." 

Former Philippine Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan, who served as social welfare undersecretary under the Duterte administration, described the arrest as "sheer audacity and a blatant abuse of power," according to the Inquirer.

Zhou believes that the public's complex sentiments in the Philippines are understandable. "Many Filipinos perceive the move as inviting external intervention into internal conflicts, and the former president still enjoys significant support among the populace. Unfortunately, as a sovereign nation, the Philippines fails to fulfill its obligation to protect its own citizens," he stated.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, outlined on Friday China's five-point proposal for properly resolving the Iranian nuclear issue under the new circumstances including resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, and opposing the use of force and illegal sanctions.

Wang made this proposal when meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who came to Beijing for attending the China-Russia-Iran meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue on Friday.

Wang said all parties should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security outlook, actively create conditions for resuming dialogue and negotiations, and refrain from actions that could escalate tensions.

China also suggested to ensure a balance between rights and responsibilities, coordinating nuclear non-proliferation with the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Iran should continue to uphold its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, while all parties should fully respect Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), according to a readout published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang proposed to reach new consensus based on the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). China hopes all parties will meet each other halfway and resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible. The US should demonstrate political sincerity and return to the negotiations without delay, Wang said.

Also, efforts should be made to promote cooperation through dialogue, opposing the forced involvement of the UN Security Council, Wang said.

Under the current circumstances, a hasty intervention by the Security Council would not help build trust or bridge differences. Triggering the "snapback mechanism" would undo years of diplomatic efforts and must be approached with extreme caution, the Chinese Foreign Minister noted.

Also, it should adhere to a step-by-step, reciprocal approach and seeking consensus through consultation, Wang said.

History has shown that the so-called position of strength will never serve as the key to solving complex issues. Only by upholding mutual respect can all parties find the broadest common ground that accommodates legitimate concerns of all parties and achieve a resolution in line with international expectations, Wang added.

This year marks the second anniversary of the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the GCI on March 15, 2023, during a dialogue between the Communist Party of China and other global political parties held via video link.

The initiative advocates for respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of both the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

The following are some of his quotes in this regard.

After China unveiled a plan for special initiatives to boost consumption, including the potential establishment of a childcare subsidy system, Li Chunlin, a deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Monday that relevant authorities have been actively formulating childcare subsidies, which will be introduced progressively, CCTV News reported.

A total of 23 provincial-level regions across the country have introduced childbirth subsidies at various levels, mostly benefiting families with a second or third child, the People's Daily reported on Monday.

Childcare subsidies generally come in two forms: one-time cash payments and recurring allowances, the report said. For example, in Hefei of East China's Anhui Province, eligible couples receive a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan ($276.3) for the birth of a second child and 5,000 yuan for the birth of a third child.

In Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, eligible families with local household registration receive 600 yuan per month for each second or third child until the child turns 3 years old, the People's Daily reported. 

In Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, registered couples who have a second or third child after January 1, 2023, and register the child's household locally, qualify for a one-time subsidy of 2,000 yuan for a second child and 4,000 yuan for a third child. Additionally, they will receive a monthly childcare subsidy of 200 yuan per child until the child reaches the age of 3 years old.

However, the People's Daily's report found out that most childcare subsidies apply only to families with a second or third child, leaving families with only one child outside the preferential policy.

Guided by China's macro policies, various regions have tailored measures to their specific circumstances, including one-time payments and monthly allowances. These policies "have alleviated family burdens, encouraged childbirth and demonstrated policy support," Jiang Quanbao, a professor from the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University, told the Global Times, on Monday.

Following the rollout of the special action plan to boost domestic consumption, local governments are likely to further strengthen subsidy programs, Jiang said. The measures may include an increase in the subsidies based on the current levels, and the coverage of subsidies is expected to be broader, according to Jiang.

Hohhot, the capital of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, recently drew public attention by announcing a 100,000 yuan subsidy for families having a third child. Zhang Hongmin, head of the population, family and elderly health department at the Hohhot Health Commission, was quoted as saying in a report by Beijing Daily on Monday that the purpose of this policy is to provide direct financial support to help families share part of the childcare costs, alleviate concerns about having children due to financial pressure, and ultimately increase the birth rate.

Lei Anqi, an associate professor at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology at Ningxia University's Faculty of Law, suggested increasing subsidy amounts, moderately raising third-child subsidies, and considering benefits for first-child families to enhance policy incentives

Lei told the Global Times on Monday that authorities could expand the scope of eligibility, gradually relaxing subsidy application requirements, and including non-registered residents who have lived and worked in a region for a long time to improve the policy's inclusiveness.

Lei also called for better childcare support, including expanding affordable childcare institutions, reducing family childcare costs, and increasing willingness to have children.

Lei emphasized the need to establish a long-term security mechanism by promoting joint funding from central and local governments to ensure the stability of subsidy policies. She also suggested comprehensive measures such as tax breaks, housing support, and workplace-friendly policies to create a sustainable childbirth incentive system.

The support for childbirth is a "systematic project," Jiang noted, emphasizing that in addition to subsidies, complementary policies, such as childcare, education and housing support should also be explored. Jiang noted that support for families with their first child could also be considered.

East China's Zhejiang Province recently issued a special action implementation plan to boost and expand consumption, saying that in accordance with national policies, a childbirth subsidy system will be established to provide subsidies to eligible families, the Securities Times reported on Monday. 

The plan also encourages local governments with sufficient resources to issue marriage consumption vouchers and childcare vouchers and to develop basic public services for inclusive childcare, according to the report.

The trade union of a company in Yinan county, East China's Shandong Province recently issued a notice requiring single employees aged 28-58 to marry by September 30 or face a review and potential dismissal, sparking widespread attention, according to CCTV.com on Friday. Local human resources and social security bureau issued a correction order on Thursday, revoking the company's notice.

The notice released by Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co., Ltd., showed that the company promotes the spirit and cultural values of "diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness." It emphasized that employees should work well and establish families, so that their families can be reassured, equating this to filial piety. The notice required single employees (aged 28-58, including those who are divorced) to form families and have children within the specified time frame.

According to CCTV.com, the company also set up offices and a human resources department as supervisory units, stating that "if these supervisory units fail to accomplish the above tasks, the company will give them a negative rating for 'inaction' in the performance assessment."

Previously, in response to media inquiries, company representatives stated that this was an internal matter and a decision made by senior management, which is a part of the private company's internal affairs.

A company representative later clarified that the intention was to encourage older unmarried employees to focus on important life decisions and motivate them to marry and settle down. However, the approach was overly simplistic, and the company mistakenly transformed this initiative into a rigid policy, CCTV.com reported.

Local human resources and social security bureau held a meeting with the company on Thursday, pointing out that the notice violated relevant provisions of the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China and the Labor Contract Law of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, the notice was immediately stopped, and the company was ordered to correct its actions.

Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co., Ltd. later stated that the notice has been halted and the regulations revoked, adding that the company will strengthen internal management, study relevant laws and regulations, and prevent such incidents from occurring again.

"Corporate rules should not override laws or social morals," one netizen commented. Another netizen also pointed out that the Marriage Law guarantees freedom of marriage, emphasizing that the decision to marry should be a personal choice, not something imposed by parents or companies.

Shortly after US Vice President JD Vance delivered a speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Friday local time, in which he criticized Europe on issues such as democracy and immigration, some European leaders reacted sharply, reflecting the current tensions in transatlantic relations, according to media reports. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issued a strong rebuke on Saturday regarding Vance's attack on Europe's stance on hate speech and the far right, saying it was not right for others to tell Germany and Europe what to do, Reuters reported. 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday defended European policies following Vance's remarks, saying that nobody can impose their model on Europe, according to AFP. 

Addressing the MSC, Vance said Europe's biggest challenge was not external threats, but internal democratic erosion. He accused Europe of straying from "fundamental values" shared with the US, voicing concerns over electoral policies, civil rights, and freedom of speech on the continent, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Against the backdrop of recent US tariffs on steel and aluminum, and the Trump administration's controversial stances on Gaza and Ukraine, Vance's speech was seen as a further shift in transatlantic relations, Xinhua said.

During his trip to Europe, Vance has met with the leader of Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, the Guardian reported on Friday. The move also broke a taboo in German politics as the Trump administration continues to court and promote far-right populist parties across Europe, according to the media report. 

Vance did not meet with Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor who should be among the US' key partners in negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Guardian said. 

It is clear that the Trump administration prefers to align itself with the far-right in Europe rather than support the mainstream political forces in Europe, Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Those moves significantly challenge the long-established principles and norms that have governed US-Europe relations, Dong Yifan, visiting researcher at the school of politics and public administration of Xinjiang University, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

"This has eroded the long-standing political trust between the US and Europe, undermining their perception of each other as value-based partners. As a result, tensions have increased not only in diplomacy but also in routine interactions, leading to further conflicts," Dong said. 

The BBC said in an article published on Saturday titled "JD Vance's blast at Europe ignores Ukraine and defense agenda," saying that this year's MSC was supposed to be primarily about the Ukraine crisis and Europe's defense spending. But the most senior US present "used his time at the podium to talk about neither." 

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Monday urged efforts to promote the healthy and high-quality development of the country's private sector, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when attending a symposium on private enterprises, where he delivered an important speech after listening to representatives of private entrepreneurs.

The private sector enjoys broad prospects and great potential on the new journey in the new era. It is a prime time for private enterprises and entrepreneurs to give full play to their capabilities, Xi said.

He urged reaching consensus and firming up confidence to promote the healthy and high-quality development of the private sector.

Huawei's Ren Zhengfei, BYD's Wang Chuanfu, New Hope's Liu Yonghao, Will Semiconductor's Yu Renrong, Unitree Robotics' Wang Xingxing, and Xiaomi's Lei Jun put forward their opinions and advice on the development of the private sector, Xinhua reported.

According to a report posted on its official Weibo account by Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with CCTV, participating entrepreneurs also included Alibaba founder Jack Ma, DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng, Tencent's board chairman and CEO Ma Huateng, and CATL chairman Zeng Yuqun, among others.

Unswerving support

Xi said the Party and the country are committed to unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting and guiding the development of the non-public sector, Xinhua reported.

The Party and the country ensure that economic entities under all forms of ownership have equal access to factors of production in accordance with the law, compete in the market on an equal footing, and are protected by the law as equals, he said.

The new journey in the new era has provided abundant new opportunities and greater space for the development of the private sector, Xi said. He stressed that the current difficulties and challenges facing the private sector can be overcome and called for confidence in the future.

Xi urged resolutely dismantling obstacles that prevent enterprises from accessing production factors equally and competing in the market fairly, further opening the competitive areas of infrastructure to various business entities in a fair manner, and continuously making solid efforts to address the difficulties faced by private enterprises in obtaining affordable financing.

He also stressed the effective protection of the lawful rights and interests of private enterprises and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law. Private enterprises and entrepreneurs should embrace entrepreneurship and patriotism, focus on strengthening, optimizing, and expanding their businesses, and be firm contributors to building socialism with Chinese characteristics and advancing Chinese modernization, Xi said.

This symposium reflects the central government's confidence in the development of the private economy and its unwavering determination to support its growth, Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Monday.

"In technological advancement, the private economy is crucial. Particularly in the fields of digital economy and artificial intelligence, it has strong innovation capabilities, making it a crucial force in enhancing China's international competitiveness in the tech sector," Li said.

"Its positive role in areas such as job creation and driving technological innovation to spur economic growth will become even more prominent," Li said.

In China's economic policymaking, policymakers and economists often use a rather apt term to describe the integral role the private sector plays in the country's social and economic development: "56789." This refers to private firms' contribution of more than 50 percent to national tax revenue, more than 60 percent to the national GDP, more than 70 percent to technological innovation achievements, more than 80 percent to urban employment, and 90 percent to the total number of enterprises in China, Xinhua previously reported.

According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, by the end of September 2024, the number of registered private enterprises nationwide exceeded 55 million, with private enterprises accounting for 92.3 percent of the total number of enterprises.

Great opportunities

Galaxy Space's founder and CEO Xu Ming was among participants of Monday's symposium, according to official account of Information Office of Wuxi municipal government. Xu told the Global Times on Monday that he was deeply honored to be invited to attend the symposium.

As a representative of private commercial aerospace enterprises, Xu said that he deeply felt President Xi's high regard for the development of private enterprises and technological innovation. "Our confidence in the future of private enterprises has been greatly enhanced, and we are more determined than ever in our commitment to technological innovation and self-reliance," Xu said, adding that he feels the private economy is ushering in new opportunities with great potential ahead. 

"This symposium will further boost market confidence and emphasize the significant role that private enterprises play in the national economy, while also providing guidance for the future development of the private economy," Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, told the Global Times on Monday.

Private enterprises are playing an increasingly active and important role in areas such as job creation and technological innovation, Hu said, giving examples of DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics - both have sparked intensive discussion, which Hu said highlights the strong innovative vitality of private enterprises. 

With the important messages from the symposium, private enterprises should seize this important opportunity and continue to explore new areas for growth, Hu said.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traded accusations after high-level talks between Russia and the US in Saudi Arabia, with Trump saying Ukraine "should have never started" the conflict and that Ukraine "could have made a deal earlier," while Zelensky hit back by saying Trump is trapped in a "disinformation bubble" and that Ukraine is not for sale.

The talks between Moscow and Washington, along with remarks from Trump, suggest that resolving the Ukraine crisis is not the primary concern of the US. Instead, it appears that the US intends to leverage the situation to fix ties with Russia and extricate itself from the conflict in order to redirect its focus. In this context, Ukraine and Europe may find themselves compelled to accept a deal between Russia and the US, potentially exacerbating divergences between the US and its European allies, according to Chinese experts. 

Zelensky said he postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia planned for Wednesday until next month. Sources said the decision was made to avoid giving "legitimacy" to the US-Russia talks, which were held in the Middle East country on Tuesday, Reuters reported. 

Kiev says talks on how to end the war should not be held behind Ukraine's back, while Russia hardened its demands, notably insisting it would not tolerate the NATO alliance granting membership for Ukraine, per Reuters. 

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump was asked by the BBC what his message was to Ukrainians who might feel betrayed by the high-level talks between US and Russia. 

"I hear that they're upset about not having a seat, well, they've had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily," he said.

"You should have never started it. You could have made a deal," he later added.

Zelensky hit back at Donald Trump's accusation overnight that Ukraine started its war with Russia, saying that the American president is trapped in a "disinformation bubble" and adding that his country was not for sale, CNBC News reported. 

Attempt to fix ties

And "in his most hostile comments toward the Ukrainian leader yet," Trump voiced yet another of President Vladimir Putin's talking points — that it was time for an election in Ukraine — in an apparent bid to begin the process of pushing Zelensky aside, CNN reported.

Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the high-level talks between Moscow and Washington, as well as Trump's subsequent comments tell us that for the US, the paramount goal at the current stage is to quickly repair its relationship with Russia. 

Cui said that ending the crisis is merely a way for the US to signal goodwill toward Russia, and for Washington, easing relations with Moscow can help it shift its focus to the Asia-Pacific region. 

It seems that the US is seeking ways to swiftly negotiate an end to the Ukraine crisis while sidelining both Europe and Ukraine, as their inclusion could complicate the negotiation process, said Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He told the Global Times that, following such a deal, the US is likely to exert pressure on both Europe and Ukraine to accept the terms.

On Tuesday, the Russia-US talks in Riyadh lasted 4.5 hours. Russia was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential aide Yury Ushakov and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) head Kirill Dmitriev. The US was represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and the US leader's special envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff.

After the meeting in Riyadh, Trump said he was "much more confident." "They were very good," he said. "Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarianism."

Putin hailed the results of the Russia-US talks in Saudi Arabia's capital on Tuesday, RT reported on Wednesday night. The meeting was "the first step" in restoring joint work with the US in a variety of areas ranging from strategic stability and arms control to the resolution of the Ukraine conflict and the crisis in the Middle East, according to the report.

Putin also welcomed what he described as positive changes in Washington's attitude towards working with Moscow. The atmosphere of the talks was "very friendly," Putin said, adding that the US is represented by "absolutely different people, who are open for talks without any prejudices… and committed to joint work."

The US and Russia have also reportedly agreed in high-level talks Tuesday to re-establish embassy staffing and that Washington would create a high-level team to work on a path to ending the war in Ukraine, CNN reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump could meet as early as this month, although a face-to-face meeting will take time to prepare, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, Reuters quoted Russian news agencies as saying. 

"In order to carry out, figuratively speaking, resuscitation measures, diplomats will now begin to work in light of the agreement Lavrov reached yesterday with Rubio," Peskov was quoted by state media as saying. "But this is the first step... Naturally, it's impossible to fix everything in one day or a week. There is a long way to go," he added.

The Ukraine crisis has dragged on and has continued to escalate for nearly three years. Recently, the pursuit of dialogue and negotiation has gained momentum. Since the start of the crisis, China has been calling for a political settlement and pushing for peace talks. China supports all efforts conducive to peace, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the United Nations Security Council High-Level Meeting on Tuesday. 

Cui suggested that these details indicate that the high-level meeting between the US and Russia is not likely to have an immediate impact on reaching a deal. "It depends on how the US will utilize these 'negotiation results' to convince Europe and Ukraine to collaborate with it in the subsequent process. Moreover, Russia will also adjust its stance at any time in accordance with the evolution of the situation."

Europe left with no choice

After participating in the high-level talks with Russia, Rubio spoke by phone with his European counterparts on Tuesday. According to a statement from State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio briefed the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the UK, along with the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs following the talks with Russia on ending the Ukraine crisis.

The European Union agreed on Wednesday to impose a fresh round of sanctions against Russia, media reported.

The decision was made after Rubio suggested that Europe would eventually be called to the negotiating table to discuss sanctions relief for the Kremlin. "There are other parties that have sanctions, the European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point because they have sanctions as well that have been imposed," Rubio said on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia.

Jiang Feng, a professor of European Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, said that currently, "Europe is left without a choice. Abandoning support for Ukraine would mean surrendering on all fronts, and there is no need to talk about strategic independence, so Europe sees the outcome of the Ukraine crisis from a strategic and life-and-death perspective," Jiang said. 

France plans to a host a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security on Wednesday, but has this time invited European countries not present earlier this week and NATO ally Canada, diplomatic sources told the Reuters on Tuesday.

 To date, Europe has bound its own fate too closely to that of Ukraine, making it extremely difficult to take a step back. It relied too heavily and for too long under military protection from NATO, which is led by the US, Jiang said. 

Jiang said that if Europe and Ukraine are locked out of negotiating a deal on the crisis, it will be forced to accept a deal between Russia and US, at least in the initial stage. When that happens, the relationship between Europe and the US will face a very severe test.

As the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China is willing to work with Russia and other member states to usher in a new phase of SCO featuring higher-quality development and greater responsibility, said Chinese President Xi Jinping when talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video meeting on Tuesday.

Xi also called on the two countries to jointly advance greater BRICS cooperation and write a new chapter of unity and self-improvement for the Global South.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone talk with Celso Amorim, special advisor to the president of Brazil.

During the phone call, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Brazil, during which the two heads of state held a historic meeting that achieved a series of landmark outcomes, drawing a grand blueprint for the development of bilateral relations in the next stage.

Both sides should fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and advance key areas of cooperation under the framework of aligning their development strategies, and continuously enrich the contemporary significance and strategic connotation of the China-Brazil community with a shared future, Wang said.

As the BRICS family continues to expand, China supports Brazil in assuming the BRICS presidency this year and pushing for new achievements in greater BRICS cooperation, Wang said. China supports Brazil in hosting the UN climate change conference, he added.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum, and China is ready to work with Brazil and other countries to build a China-Latin America community with a shared future, Wang said.

Noting that the Ukraine crisis has been going on for nearly three years, Wang said that the "six-point consensus" jointly issued by China and Brazil on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the establishment of the "Friends of Peace" platform on the Ukraine crisis are to gather consensus from the Global South and create an atmosphere and accumulate conditions for the realization of peace talks.

For his part, Amorim said that President Xi's state visit to Brazil last year was very successful, and that the important consensus reached by the two heads of state set a clear direction for the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Amorim expressed his hope that the two sides will step up the implementation of the results of the visit and work together to build a Brazil-China community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

Brazil attaches great importance to the China-CELAC Forum and is willing to strengthen coordination with China to successfully run this year's forum, said Amorim.

Noting that the "six-point consensus" reached by Brazil and China on the Ukraine crisis is of great significance, Amorim said that the two sides should seize the opportunity to further leverage the role of the "Friends of Peace" platform.